Duel of continuation
by Morte Mistrata
Summary: Utena is rescued from the realm where the Swords of Hatred reside and the duels begin anew. Only this time, Utena is not a duelist, and Anthy is not the Rose Bride.
1. Chapter 1

Utena could not remember how long it had been since the swords of hatred had run through her. She remembered what happened before it in perfect clarity. Anthy had cut through her flesh with her soul sword, and even so Utena had saved her. It could have been just moments prior that those events had transpired. It could have been centuries.

Her body twitched involuntarily and the swords twisted themselves deeper into her. How much deeper could they get? There were several through her heart, more than she could count. The others pierced her from every angle, covering her skin so that nothing was visible through it.

She wasn't quite sure how she knew that.

Anthy's face came to her again, a ghost of a memory that she was sure of. Was she real or just another dream, created to help pass time in this twisted reality? She was running, but was getting nowhere. If anything, it appeared that she was being pulled backwards.

She closed her eyes. What was the point of remembering her if she couldn't even tell if she was alive or dead? Worse, what if she hadn't rescued her from Akio? What if nothing had changed at all? Slowly, the feeling of cool steel against her skin subsided although the pain did not; it was replaced with the softness of rose petals and the bitter sting of thorns. She opened her eyes.

Anthy Himemiya held her up, her arms wrapped around Utena as if afraid that she might disappear. Her eyes were tightly shut, and her hand clenched the fabric of Utena's dress with a death grip.

"Himemiya." Utena breathed, as Anthy pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek.

OoOoO

Utena woke up beside her on an uncomfortable mattress, her pink locks intertwined with Anthy's purple. She turned towards her, and met her eyes. They were different than they were before. Brighter. Less pained. Then her eyes became opaque again and Utena could no longer see into them.

She smiled and sat up, and suddenly the mattress became even more uncomfortable.

"Utena. You're back."

Utena sat up and wrapped her arms around her. As their skin touched, Utena felt the Swords of Hatred impale her once more. Her back arched back painfully and she screamed, only to remember that her vocal cords were cut too. Anthy pulled back, and they subsided.

"I'm sorry. I- I didn't know." Her hands hovered above Utena, afraid to touch her but unwilling to just leave her there.

Utena couldn't breathe. She still felt them, pinning her to the bed beneath her, running through every fiber of her being. Her body shook as she tried to breathe; wherever she had been before this, she had not been aware of her need to breathe until now.

Anthy regained her posture and buried her fear. Taking a deep breath, she held her hands over Utena's chest. Suddenly, the fear and hatred and pain subsided, drawing themselves to a single point in the center of her chest.

"I call upon the, Sword of...honor. Heed my call." She hesitated, then continued, drawing the sword from her chest. Utena's breathing returned to normal, and she sunk back into the mattress.

Anthy stared at the sword in her hand. Although it was not the sword of Dios any longer, it still looked like it. The only difference was that the pommel was a red rose instead of pink. Red, as for passion. As for love. She had expected it to be different, or at least for the differences between the two swords to be more obvious. Utena was nothing like Akio, so why were their heart swords so similar? Even compared to Dios, she was better. She stared at the sword and wished for it to change. It did not listen.

Utena continued to focus on breathing, on the sudden clarity that she had. She wasn't free from the swords, but it was close enough. She wondered how long it would last. She lazily shifted her view to Anthy, who had yet to move. Her arm was extended still, the sword was still there and Anthy had yet to meet her eyes.

"What...What happened? How did you get me back?" Utena asked, her voice soft but still sounding too loud in the heavy silence.

Anthy frowned and dropped the sword to the ground with a clatter. She wondered if it scratched the wood floor, or if wasn't part of the real world after all. She sighed and turned to face her, hands clenching and unclenching uncomfortably. After expending so much effort in getting Utena back, she couldn't even touch her. And even that was half a lie. "I didn't get you back. I simply prevented you from reaching your final destination."

"What does that mean?" Utena asked, the question feeling strange in her mouth. Was it the feelings behind it that made her uncomfortable, or simply the act of asking? She wasn't sure.

"Akio called you back. You would have reformed back at Ohtori, with a new set of duelists to fight over you and a new game unfolding in front of you." Her voice was heavy and quiet. She picked her glasses up from the ground beside her and slid them on. Those she wanted to ask her to leave them off a second more, she refrained and stayed silent. "You would have asked already, if everything were back to normal. But I doubt you will unless I manage to free you, like you did me. Speak your mind while you can. Ask me. Say it." Her voice grew forceful and perhaps there was some power in that force, for Utena was finally able to say it.

"Are you saying...that I'm the Rose Bride?" The title felt strange to say; it had always been directed to Anthy before now.

She didn't reply for a moment. "You are. And I will duel for you."

OoOoOoO

The day after, the swords began to impale her again. She supposed that she was getting used to the pain; that would explain why she could quietly endure it as another blade impaled her. Even so, Anthy still knew when it happened.

Anthy had told her not to leave the apartment, so Utena did not leave the little apartment that Anthy had procured for them. She mostly spent her time next to the radio, or lying on the mattress, thinking. That was all she could do. She thought about her feelings, for Anthy, for Akio, for everything that had happened to her. And the other duelists.

Before that last battle, she believed that they had finally become friends; she found that she cared for them, about what their futures were, but she refrained from asking Anthy. There were certain questions that she felt she couldn't ask. She never attempted to either; she had a feeling that with their answers, they would bring with them the swords, in a quantity that she couldn't deal with.

When Anthy left, they parted silently. Although she might have wanted to go on a walk or to have played with the basketball players beneath her window, she obeyed Anthy. With that obedience came realization.

She really was the Rose Bride.

Her thoughts were only half her own, and her body was always to be someone else's. She carried the Swords of Hatred now; she supposed it only made sense.

OoOoOoO

The next day, she felt the call. It was an indescribable thing, one that she couldn't fully understand beyond the directive it gave her; Return to Ohtori.

Sometimes when she was half lost in her thoughts or daydreams, she'd find herself approaching the door and it scared her. Not because she was unconsciously leaving, but because she was going to the wrong door. Normally the closet door, but occasionally the bathroom. Every Time that she snapped out of her trance, the smell of blooming roses, impossible roses, lingered behind the door.

She didn't tell Anthy about it until she asked.

"Have you heard his call?" She asked as she stirred her tea, cooked over the radiator after they realized that the stove was broken.

Utena took a sip of her own. "Yes. I haven't answered it yet."

Anthy's eyes grew wide. Her hand tightened around the cup handle. "Stop it."

"Stop what?" Utena asked, confusion visible in her expression. As far as she knew, she wasn't doing anything.

"Stop it!" Anthy yelled.

Utena had never heard her yell before. Anthy had never had reason to. A calm tone had always worked before, but now she found no other choice. Her magic was weak, and she was unsure if it would ever return to it's original power. At the very least, it had allowed her to keep Utena there.

The Gown of Revolution, pink in this reincarnation replaced Utena's simple attire of black sports shorts and a red t-shirt. She glanced down at it in surprise.

"How?"

Anthy threw the cup, and it shattered behind Utena's head. The tea spilled onto the wall. "Akio-san has found you. I thought we'd have more time before he tried to call you to him again."

Utena blinked, about to say something when she felt the pull again, stronger than before and then she opened her eyes. The dingy apartment had changed to that of the chairman's, rich and white and clean in contrast. Her eyes adjusted, and she found Akio, sitting on the couch, his shirt unbuttoned.

"Hello Utena."

 **Author's note:**

 **I have always wondered what happened next, and I've always felt that this was what would happen. I hope y'all like what happens next. This is a gift fic to Goregeousshutin. Cheers!**


	2. Chapter 2

As Utena walked to class, she found it strange that she didn't see anyone that she had known before. No Wakaba. No Juri. No Touga. She hadn't really expected to see the duelists, with the exception of Miki; she had no idea how long she had been gone, but it wouldn't have been strange if the older Duelists had graduated. But she hadn't seen Miki or the others still had years to go, and she doubted they would refrain from speaking with her if they had seen her.

The day that she answered the call, Akio walked her through campus on the way to the student council meeting. They didn't exchange a word the entire time, but even so, she understood. She wouldn't see her friends anymore. They had escaped Ohtori. Almost everyone did. She was still in its grasp. In his grasp.

Utena sighed quietly and sat down in her seat. The teacher began to talk about something or another and she tuned him out, her mind drifting to the thought of the upcoming duel.

She had been introduced to the duelists the night before, and she wondered which one would take her place.

The first duelist was Yusaki. Her black hair was compressed into a ponytail in the back of her head, but a gaggle of curls had escaped and surrounded her face. Utena thought that she looked a little like Himemiya, with her skin only a shade lighter. The small resemblance was buried beneath her personality. Her eyes were wide as they flittered between Akio and Utena, as if unable to decide who she wanted to speak to first.

"So, who gets her first?" Another duelist asked. His midnight blue hair brushed his eyes as he straightened up, hand under his chin. His name came to her suddenly, and she wondered if it was magic that let her know. _Koyasu._ Yusaki opened her mouth to answer, but Koyasu interrupted, waving her away. "I get the point of dueling to win the Power to Revolutionize the world, but how do we begin if no one had her first?"

Akio snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. His throat rested above her head, and she felt him speak as he answered. "I will pick one of you randomly, and that person shall be engaged to her first."

"That's biased!" Kawakami exclaimed, her glasses sliding to the edge of her nose as she moved forward. "Whoever has the Rose bride first will be more likely to win because they have the Sword of Dios fir-."

"Sword of the Rose." Utena corrected, the words flowing out of her mouth before she could stop them. Akio tensed behind her, and she regretted saying it, even though it was the correct name for it; Dios had lived and died and passed, and it was no longer his sword that she kept inside of her. While Anthy's name worked well enough the first time, it was also the incorrect title.

"Same thing." Kawakami pushed her glasses back up sullenly. Her cheeks were nearly as red as her hair.

Akio shook his head. "She's right. If you do not know it's name, then it won't come for you when you call it." He smiled warmly and the red haired girl frowned. "Kami, what you say is true, but Utena will do nothing but watch the first fight. She is naught but a spectator."

Kami nodded, pleased with the answer, at the same time that Sasaki called the elevator. He waited by the door, and tapped his foot as the others turned to face him.

"You're leaving?" Yusaki asked, a tinge of disappointment audible in her voice. That tone was familiar, almost the same as Nanami's when she begged for Touga's attention; It was the same underlying tone that Juri tried to hide as she talked about Shiori; It was the sound of hidden love.

Utena wondered how that would come into play later in the duels, as both Juri and Nanami's devotion had ultimately ended up hurting them.

The young man was the tallest of the bunch, and as he turned back to the group, Utena gasped. His face was the first familiar one that she had seen, but even so, he was different. _Tsuwabuki._ He had grown out of his childish frame, and his blond hair had grown out to his shoulders. His elementary school uniform had been replaced by the standard duelist uniform, although it was the same color as his old uniform was. Turquoise.

"I know how the duels go. I just wanted to see her. To make sure that the Rose Bride was real." He said as the elevator opened. He met Utena's eyes for a moment, and then the door closed and his disappeared.

Utena wondered if his appearance meant that she would see the others; if he hadn't escaped, then what were the chances that anyone else had? The student council exchanged a few more words, then left, leaving Utena alone with Akio.

"Let's look at the stars tonight. They're just as beautiful as before you left. Perhaps more so." He said, towing her over to the railing. Her dress flapped in the breeze as he dipped her, and pressed a kiss to her mouth.

She wanted to push him away, to run into the waiting elevator and run back to her dorm, but she couldn't. Instead, she found herself leaning into the kiss, and arching her back into his grip. She wondered if he could feel her beating heart pressed against his chest, and if he could tell of it's origin; whether from fear or arousal, she herself could not tell.

OoOoOoO

The real world was an exhausting place. You had to work, sleep and then start the cycle again, occasionally stopping to eat. Anthy preferred it to her brother's domain. Here, she fell asleep every night in relative ease, weighed down with the exhaustion that came from working ten hours in a tea shop, and from the additional five that she spent searching for her after work. If only she had Utena safe beside her. She would be completely content then.

Anthy put the broom and mop back into the storage closet and locked up the shop. She had been working there since she had left, and found the job to be pleasant. It was simple work, and was mostly accomplishable with the help of her magic, but after she had rescued Utena she had had to use it less often. Her cleaning became less thorough and her tea a little less sweet. She wondered if anyone noticed.

She walked back to her apartment amongst the sounds of the city's transition from day to night. A siren rang out to the sky and she thought about Utena again. More specifically, her rescue. Nearly a month had passed since she had seen her last, and it was making her nervous. She had left Ohtori so long ago, and doubted that she could return; she had yet to actually try. If she returned, could she leave again? The question launched an avalanche, and the mountain of questions tumbled inside of her. Had the duels started yet? Where was she sleeping? Were the swords still hurting, or had Akio's presence numbed them?

She paused in her quiet frenzy. In the alley between her apartment complex and the bodega beside it grew a vine. Sharp thorns sprouted from it, leading to the roof of the building. From it, a single purple rose grew. As she stared at the impossible flower, it bloomed, and it's heady scent blew towards her.

Well if that wasn't an invitation, she didn't know what was.

OoOoOoO

Wakaba walked past the gaggle of girls in the living room, and went straight to her bedroom. She tossed her purse onto the floor and fell face first into the warmth of the blanket. The day had been terrible. Her boss had called her in on her day off because the store had an unexpected rush day. When she arrived, she'd had to reorganize all of the shelved clothes and had spent two hours helping an indecisive grandmother pick out clothes for her grandchildren. The day had ended with her having to go to an evening orientation for incoming college students, and the events had left her dead tired.

Her roommate knocked on the door before slamming it open. "You got a letter." She tossed the envelope at her and slammed the door shut. The sound of the girls giggling recommenced. Wakaba groaned and sat up, snatching the envelope up from the carpet where it had landed. Immediately, she knew that it wasn't her bi monthly letter from her parents. The paper was too thick, too expensive feeling. She had only received anything like it from Ohtori, when she was told that she had been accepted.

She sat up and leaned against the headboard as the tore open the envelope. She had no idea what it could be. After she had graduated early, she hadn't had any contact with anyone from Ohtori. Utena had disappeared, and Anthy had left a week or so later. The student council had slowly become less tight-knit, and eventually, the older ones graduated. She hadn't talked to them or thought of them since her own graduation, but as she opened the letter, her mind drifted back to when she had written that love letter to Saionji, and then to that month when he had stayed with her.

Green hair, prettier and longer than hers. An absolutely gorgeous body. And antipathy towards her. Her heart throbbed and she pushed away the memories. She pushed her thumb under the flap and peeled the wax seal away. Three pink flower petals fell from the envelope, but she didn't pay attention. There were only five words typed on the paper: Will you duel for her?

OoOoOoO

Juri walked off of the set, her gown bunched up in her fists. The blue fabric was wet, and she would have to change gowns again for the second shoot, but she didn't mind; the money that it would earn her was worth the discomfort. She stepped into her trailer and closed the door lightly behind her before pulling the gown off and hanging it by the door. She sneezed.

The shoot had been overly long, and since it was a water shoot, she had had to be wet the entire time. It figured that she would catch a cold. She toweled off and pulled on her robe as someone knocked on the door.

"Coming." She called, as she tied the sash and opened the door. One of the interns stood outside, eyes averted from her gaze. He held out a letter, and it shook as his hand did. It seemed that a lot of interns were intimidated by her, though she was never rude towards them; perhaps it was her aloofness, she thought as she picked up the letter. Silently, she dropped the wet dress into his awaiting arms, then closed the door.

She almost threw it on the coffee table, to be reviewed later when she wasn't dead tired but something about it was strange. The envelope was not signed, and the only identifier as to who it came from was the rose signet pressed into the wax. The same rose that was on the duelist ring that she still wore.

That rose still haunted her sometimes.

She tore it open, too anxious to peel away the wax seal gingerly. The top corner of the envelope was torn, but the picture on it was still visible. A picture of a pink haired girl, fourteen and smiling brightly, stared back at her. Shaking, she pulled out the letter.

It was a torn scrap of paper, perhaps from a disposable menu, or a napkin. On it were five words, hastily scrawled: Will you duel for her?

OoOoOoO

Miki's fingers hurt.

After his father had called him back home, he had focused on his music more and more. His new wife was a strange woman who was not exactly mean, but still colder than he had expected her to be. It was easier to ignore what was wrong with their family if he drowned it out with music.

He had outgrown the Sunlit Garden, and changed it into something new; something that he wasn't exactly done with yet. He took another drink of his water, as Kozue strolled in, a new man on her arm. She smirked at him as she passed and the man placed an envelope on the piano.

"It appears that you've still got business with Ohtori. Perhaps you'll bring me along?" And then the pair disappeared into the next room.

He placed the empty glass back on the table and sat down on the bench. Ohtori? He hadn't heard that name in a long time. In fact, he hadn't thought of the place unless Kozue brought it up, which was becoming an increasingly more rare occurrence. He picked up the envelope, and with sore fingers pulled the wax seal from the paper. He put it on his knee and unfolded the paper.

A torn corner of math homework fell from it; it was just the corner, where one wrote their name and half of a math problem. Only the last few letters were legible: enjou. He dropped the scrap and read the message, printed perfectly in a forced style, as if one had practiced for hours to make it perfect: Will you duel for her?

OoOoOoO

Saionji brushed the young woman aside, and grabbed his glass, downing it in one gulp before slamming it back down. He didn't spare her a second glance as he left the bar. He was barely legal, but he still loved the taste of it. The young woman pouted sourly, before finding someone new to flirt with.

She had looked fine, at first glance. Perhaps a bit familiar, somewhat reminiscent of a girl Juri had hung around back at Ohtori. Shanae maybe, no, Shiori. Besides her familiarity, she had begun with a spew of compliments, and after his recent failure at the Kendo qualifiers, it was welcome praise. He had listened.

And then she had begun about Ohtori. About the Chairman. About a new revolution, because the first had not revolutionized the world completely. He'd had enough of the gab, and after downing his drink, he left.

Stepping out onto the sidewalk, he pulled his jacket tighter. A gust of wind pushed him back, throwing his hair into his face, and thrusting paper over his eyes. He pulled it off, and just as he was about to let it go, he noticed the seal. Ohtori.

He turned heel and reentered the bar. Sliding into an empty booth, he pulled it open, tearing the paper beneath the seal. Inside was a folded note of familiar stationary. The exchange diary. He gingerly opened it. Inside was a drawn picture of Utena, one that Anthy had made. To the side was a caricature of him and Anthy holding hands. Written underneath were five words: Will you duel for her?

OoOoOoO

Nanami was struggling to stay awake. She still had two pages of math work to do, and seeing how she was out of lackeys to do it for her. To be honest, she hadn't had any lackeys since she had left Ohtori and transferred to the prestigious Lankmere Academy. She lifted her hand from the page, the answer obvious in her mind.

Her eyes fell closed and she jerked awake, a line of ink across the page. She growled and sat up straighter. She attempted the problem again, numbers running through her mind lazily. She raised her pen again.

"Miss. Nanami?" A maid had paused above her, a letter deposited on her math book. "You have a letter. Perhaps it is one from your brother, eh?" The maid didn't wait for a response, and went back to her chores.

Nanami glanced at the letter. She doubted her brother would send her anything; she hadn't heard from him in nearly a year. Still, she hoped. She picked up the envelope, and flipped it over. Stamped on the thick parchment was a rose seal, the same one that she and her brother had worn when they dueled.

Suddenly, she wasn't sleepy anymore.

Carefully she brought it to the kitchen sink, all the while holding it as if it were a dangerous snake that could attack at any moment; for all she knew, it could. With one hand, she turned on the faucet. With the other, she thrust the paper underneath it. She waited until it was soaked and then ripped it apart. Or, at least tried to. No matter how hard she tried, the paper wouldn't tear. After getting wet, it dried almost instantly. It was as if the letter was immortal.

Nanami growled and threw it back on the table. It landed on her math book. Maybe if she opened it first, it would die.

She tore away the rose seal and crumbled the wax in her hand until it was an unidentifiable red lump. She spread out the letter without looking at it, until her hand touched upon a strange figurine. She lifted it away from the paper, and turned around before looking at it. It was an origami bed, partially crumpled from the mail service. She turned it over in her hand as it slowly dawned on her. The only time that she had even seen this bed was when she had stayed with Utena and Anthy and… the Chairman.

So this was something about Utena, she mused as she placed the figure on the table. Perhaps it wasn't as dangerous as she had originally thought. Carefully, she turned around and read the note. It was crumpled too, and the ink was smeared, but she understood the message easily enough: Will you fight for her?

OoOoOoO

Touga stared impassively at the man. He did not move, and continued to hold out the letter, now slightly crumpled from it's fall onto the floor. He stared at it's seal: the rose was partially ruined now, but nonetheless it was a familiar sign. Not just because of the duels, but also because he had been chasing that sign since he had graduated. It had led him across the world, and then to India, which appeared to be where Ends of the world and the Rose Bride had all come from.

He had seen the symbol so many times in paintings, murals, sculptures. All of which depicted a prince on a shining steed, rescuing a princess from a dragon, a tower, or a witch. It was the witch that intrigued him the most. Sometimes he would find her face on a princess, and other times she would be the attacker. Either way, in every picture she was there and played one of the two roles. All except for one.

That mural was the one that he was standing in front of now. The colors were impossibly unfaded, and the image was too intricate for a simple cave painting. Behind the regal figure of the prince was a mural of roses, a sword impaled through each one. He stared at the viewer with no remorse, and on the end of his sword was a younger prince, his white suit stained red, and face black with anonymity.

What he didn't understand was how a village man had found him there, and managed to deliver a letter that reeked of Ends of the world to him. The man still had not moved, except to thrust the letter at him once more.

Touga picked it up carefully, and the man silently left.

The paper was unsigned, and the envelope was stamped with the rose seal. He ran his thumb underneath it and opened it carefully. Soft, pink rose petals fluttered to the ground, a scrap of a dress slipping beside them. They were the same color pink that Utena's dueling Rose had been. He picked them up carefully before reading the simple message: Will you duel for her?


	3. Chapter 3

Anthy wasn't sure what the other duelists' roles would be, but filling the role of the gardener wasn't much of a change. Besides that, she found that her magic had gotten better once she had arrived. She wondered if her brother knew of her growing power, and if he would fear it one day when she grew stronger.

She clipped another wilting rose, and slipped it into her basket. It's color was almost the shade of Utena's hair, tinged with brown decay. She wondered if the brown marred its beauty, or made it more exquisite. A student peeked into the greenhouse, then shut the door again as their gaze landed upon her; they rarely visited the garden except for private moments, and it was well known that Anthy wouldn't leave until she was done, no matter how they tried to make her leave. A moment later the door swung open again and a girl stepped in, a bush blocking Anthy's view of her face. All she caught was a flash of pink, and the swish of a uniform skirt. A brown skinned girl stopped in the doorway, her duelist uniform a bright yellow, not unlike Nanami's. She was unsure if the duelist had chosen the color, or if it had been chosen for her.

"You can't stay long." The yellow duelist said, as she brushed a stray curl from the other girl's face. Anthy frowned at her. She couldn't discern her name. Was her magic being blocked? "I'll be back in ten minutes. I left a book back in class." Anthy stared at her, and willed her name to reveal itself. It hesitated, and she only caught a glimpse of the first letter. _Y._

The door shut and the girl left behind took a tentative step forward. Magic shimmered in the air, and Anthy hoped. Standing up carefully, she brushed away the dirt that clung to her knees. "Utena?"

There was silence and she wondered if she was wrong. Then she walked into view, still half hidden behind the roses. "Yes?"

Anthy didn't walk to her. She ran.

She ran into Utena's arms, and when Utena didn't hug her, she wrapped her arms around the pink haired girl instead. It should have felt like relief. It should have felt like coming home. It should have felt like everything that had saved her the first time. Instead, it felt empty. Utena curved beneath her touch, her back arching so strongly that it had to be painful and that was when she realized. Ohtori did not take away the pain like she had expected it to.

She blinked, and everything fell away; they were no longer standing in the garden, but before a gate. The iron was intertwined with dead rose vines, and the iron spikes stabbed gentle roses, which dripped like blood onto the ground. Utena gasped, only managing to stay standing because of Anthy's hold under her back. A hilt forced it's way out of her chest and Utena's desperate gasping quieted some. The other swords faded away, and she shifted Utena's weight into one hand, her other hand hovering around the hilt when the duelist ran from behind her, an orange blossom in her hand like a sword.

"Utena!" She yelled, pushing Anthy's hand away. She yanked the sword free carelessly, and Utena stifled a scream.

Anthy wasn't sure what she expected from her. The majority of the duelists didn't care about the Rose Bride, or her well being. The sword was almost always more interesting, and it was rarely that they paid attention to the Rose Bride pain, even when it was so painfully obvious. The duelist pulled Utena from Anthy's arms and carefully lowered her to the ground. She placed the Rose into her open palm and turned to face Anthy.

She grabbed the sword in one quick movement, and held it out at her, blade hovering above her breast. "What are you?" The duelist asked, her voice almost a growl. "You're the witch, aren't you?"

Utena did not stir.

Anthy smiled as she answered. Her magic was stronger her swordsmanship, and she had borne a thousand swords: any attack of hers would not slow her down. "I am."

The girl sneered. "Then you are here to duel." She slid back, and raised her sword from above Anthy's chest. She turned back to Utena. Her voice grew softer and her face smoothed itself out into a gentle smile as she helped Utena from the floor. "Prepare the duel."

Utena nodded meekly. She ran her fingers across the girl's shoulders. Epulats formed, and golden tassels decorated her otherwise militaristic uniform. Her pants mended themselves at the knee, and boots encased her feet. Utena drew a yellow rose (a different one than the one that had been given to her, Anthy thought in surprise.) and placed it over her breast. The girl smiled as Utena placed a kiss to her lips.

"Wish me luck." The duelist ordered.

"Good luck, Yusaki."

Utena did not resist any of her commands. Out of everything that had occurred since she had arrived, that surprised her the most. Was her personality completely suppressed? Was she still able to fight off Akio's influence, or was she drowning in his intoxication?

Utena stopped before Anthy, a cordial distance between them as she carefully placed her hands above Anthy's shoulders. She swiped downwards, and magic flooded her. In that instant, Anthy could feel the Rose Bride persona once more. It was a feeling that she had forgotten; painful, and yet, ecstasy all at once. Then the feeling was gone, and Utena stepped back. Anthy's custodian uniform had not changed much. The only change was an addition of a rose and a pocket to hold it.

She stepped back, and blinked. When she opened her eyes, Utena was wearing the Gown of Revolution. Pink. She stepped back.

It was then that she realized that she had no sword. Anthy stared at Yusuke's blade and separated her hands. She called forth the memory of a millennia of pain, and drew forth not a sword, but a short, jagged dagger.

She slid into the fighting stance she had seen year after year, reincarnation after reincarnation and tightened her grip on the hilt.

The first duel began.

OoOoOoOoO

Wakaba waited outside the gate, the gold gilded bars somehow seeming as tall as the Chairman's tower. How was she supposed to get in? She couldn't remember ever coming into or leaving the damn place. For all she knew the gates could be decoration. Maybe it was one of those magic things.

"Uh…" She placed her hand on the gate and was almost surprised to find it solid beneath her touch.

"What are you doing?" Juri asked, her arms crossed as she stepped out of her limo. Behind her, the driver unloaded two black suitcases from the trunk, leaving them beside her before disappearing down the driveway.

Wakaba let go of the gate and gasped. "You're here too?"

Juri brushed a curl away from her face. "I'd imagine the rest of the student council is coming too. After all, we were all linked to Utena through the-" She paused and seemed to change her line of thought. "We were all her friends." She amended.

Behind her, the petite blond that she had known from junior high exited her car. She closed the door, and carried with her a single suitcase. The car driver didn't unload anything else for her before driving off. "Hmph. I'd guess no one can figure out how to get in? Figures. The Chairman's probably got some kind of magic to keep us escapees out of his kingdom." Nanami mused. She placed her bag on the ground beside Juri, before seemingly just noticing her. She smiled slightly, and the older girl gave her a short hug.

"I thought your brother would have been called too." Juri mused, as Wakaba inspected the stone pillars that connected the gate to the walls.

"Oh. I'm sure he would have but we...we haven't seen him since we left Ohtori." As Nanami spoke, the gate shuttered, the stone walls seeming to press the gates tighter together. As if the gates were closed even more to them than they were before.

Nanami turned from Juri to face Wakaba. She had to admit, the girl had grown up nicely. She wasn't wearing that cow bell anymore, and in fact, didn't seem to be wearing anything unnecessary or overdone; She was wearing her school uniform. Her current one. She must have dropped everything and come quickly, as Juri and Wakaba had done.

"What did you do?" She asked, her voice in a low whisper. Wakaba almost wanted to smile. She had used to be so loud at school. It was a stark difference to her old personality. She wondered if everyone had changed as much as her since they'd been gone.

"I think it was you." Wakaba replied. It seemed like the gate didn't like her talking about leaving Ohtori. Maybe that was their way in.

Nanami frowned, her petite frame seeming smaller as she approached. "It's always my fault; Not this time!" Wakaba looked down at her hand. Her finger rested on Wakaba's chest. She frowned. So she was still somewhat of a brat.

Juri placed her hand on Nanami's shoulder and the blonde dropped her hand. "Sorry."

"No problem." Wakaba replied, still somewhat annoyed. "Anyways, I think I know how we're supposed to enter."

"How do you even know that we're supposed to go back?" Nanami asked as she adjusted her skirt.

"I don't. But where else would Duels take place?"

Juri nodded. "That's true. Please, continue."

Wakaba nodded. "Right. I think we have to renounce leaving Ohtori somehow. The gate closed, um… more after she mentioned leaving. I don't-"

The gate rattled as the stone pulled away, and the gate swung open, leaving a small gap between the two doors, one third of the distance between the two to allow for someone to pass.

"I guess I'm right."


	4. Chapter 4

Anthy hadn't used a sword in quite some time, but it had come to her as naturally as a lie spun for the duelists' comfort. Yusaki charged at her, her blade steady as she aimed for Anthy's rose. Anthy ducked, her back arching as Yusaki's sword passed her by. Anthy straightened up and turned, her dagger protecting the rose as she searched for her opponent.

Instead, her gaze latched onto Utena, who watched silently from the sidelines; her fists tightened almost imperceptibly as Yusaki charged again. Anthy barely dodged it this time, partially due to her split attention. The blade grazed her ribs, cutting through both fabric and skin. Anthy ignored the pain; it was not a fraction as bad as the injuries her brother had given her, time and time again. The duelist grinned and swung again, her sword grazing Anthy's shoulder. It was surprising that she had cut Anthy twice; Perhaps she wasn't as bad a swordsman as Anthy had first assumed.

That thought was dispelled as she retreated, taking deep breaths with her legs a little too wide. It left her unbalanced, and unable to withstand much force. Anthy closed her eyes and appeared behind her. She wrapped her arms around her, as swung her dagger upwards, cutting the rose stem just before the bud. It's progress was stopped by Yusaki's hand, wrapped around the blade.

"You would injure yourself to win this duel?" Anthy breathed into her ear. The duelist shuddered, whether it was in disgust for Anthy or the question was unknown.

She pushed the sword away from her, and it gave, but cut deeper into her hand. "I would injure myself to keep Utena from the others. They want her for selfish reasons. I just want to revolutionize the world." Yusaki explained as the elbowed Anthy, and turned to face her. "You have lost." She said without gloating, her sword's blade resting beside the rose on the chest. The rose burst into petals, which blew away on a frigid wind. "I do hope we duel again."

The gate which had watched them duel was gone, replaced with the garden, full of broken stemmed roses. Utena followed Yusaki out of the garden, her uniform replacing the regal gown, and a look of disappointment on her face. Anthy dropped the dagger and fell to her knees. How had she lost? She had prepared for this moment time and time again. Why had her preparations chosen to abandon her now?

OoOoOoO

Touga arrived in Japan four minutes before midnight. The airport was quiet, muted almost. The bustling crowd had gone home, and all that was left was a few silent custodians, and the quickly disappearring passengers of Flight 31J. They were like cockroaches, he thought, as he watched them disappear into the cracks and crevices of the terminal. Even though they didn't know what to call it, they knew what magic felt like and they knew to run.

It had taken Touga months to put up resistance against magic, after it had been stripped away by Utena's defeat. Even now he felt the urge to run. Instead of listening to his instincts, he sat in one of the cheap plastic chairs and waited. Whoever the magic came from, they would find him. There was no use in prolonging their meeting.

The lights flickered down the hall, slowly going out as they approached Touga's seat. With them, two pairs of footsteps rang in the now empty airport. Keeping his gaze on the approaching visitor, he pulled a wooden figurine from the side pocket, and slipped it into his sleeve. The footsteps stopped, and the only visible light was from the bulb directly over Touga's seat.

"It's been a while, Touga Kiryuu." His name dripped off of Akio's tongue like honey. "Welcome home."

Touga smiled politely. "Thank you. Although I doubt you came here, with all of these theatrics, just to say hello."

Akio chuckled, and stepped out of his cover of darkness. His white suit seemed out of place amongst the metal chairs and suffocating darkness, but also suited him; as jewels would suit a prince such as he, even as he stood amongst swine. "I'm glad you haven't lost your touch, Kiryuu. Perhaps you've even grown some since we last met. You did not fare so well against my will then, but now…" He shook his head, a sharp _tsk_ marking every movement. "You would do well to hand me the statute."

Touga wasn't surprised that he had sensed the statue. After all, it was the most powerful thing that he had brought back with him, and perhaps the only thing that could threaten his hold on Ohtori. However, he was slightly surprised that he had bothered trying to influence him again; why would Touga fall for the same trick twice? He had tasted Akio's poison, and known it's sweetness. He knew not to drink from that cup again.

Touga slipped the statuette from his sleeve and held it up to the light. It was a quite simple stature actually, nothing as ornate as the murals and paintings that he had found. It was carved of Malachite, a stone that would execrete a poison when wet. Fitting for the likeness of whom it was carved. The Prince sat on his throne while the Witch sat at his feet, a knife in her hand.

"And why would I hand over such a find, Akio-san?" Touga asked, the figurine wrapped tightly in his fist. It burned slightly.

Akio's smile grew wider, as if he had been waiting for this question to be asked. "For the same reason that you returned to Japan." As if called by an unspoken cue, another person stepped forward from the darkness. He saw her dress first, a pink so pale that it could be mistaken for white. It's bodice was a familiar design, that of the Rose bride's, and reminiscent of the duelist uniform.

Then her hair came into view. Vibrant, glowing pink that fell on her shoulders and down her back. He met her eyes, dull and strange and yet so familiar. It clicked.

"Utena?" He gasped.

Her eyes flitted up to meet his for a single moment, before returning to stare at the floor near his feet. The gesture was so submissive, so utterly foreign, but he couldn't be mistaken. This was Utena Tenjou, the girl who had freed him from his chains, who had stolen his heart, and whose memory had kept him on the trail to find The Prince's origins. This was her, but she had changed.

"What did you do to her?!" He asked, taking an angry step forward before remembering how utterly powerless he was.

Akio wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. She stumbled but did not resist him as he twirled her to face him, before pressing a kiss to her mouth. He pulled away and looked over at Touga with a smirk. "She became the Rose Bride of her own violation, when she fought her final duel. She is subject to all of the rules of that role, including being subservient to her current master, and of course, to me." He stepped away and chuckled as he raised his hand and brought it down upon her face so hard, she fell from the impact. "Which means I can do whatever I want to her, and she won't resist."

Touga remembered the original question that had led them here. He glanced at the statue in his hands. "And what does the statue have to do with this?"

"I promise that she will not be harmed, in a physical way while she is with me." He offered Utena a hand, which she took, and he lifted her to her feet. "And I will give her free will, to an extent. Namely, free speech."

Touga glanced at the statue again. His hand was burning from his sweaty grasp on it. The Witch's head seemed to have lifted some from her previous position. Her gaze was sharp, and not entirely hopeless as he had originally thought.

"Deal." Touga said, resigned to the statue's fate.

Akio grinned as he placed it into his hand. As Touga started to pull away, he grabbed his wrist, and he found himself frozen to the spot. "And like a good prince, I'll even give you free passage into Ohtori."

The lights flickered off, and he was left in total darkness for a moment before the airport was lit again. Akio and Utena were gone, and all that was left of their visit was a rose, violently red. Touga picked it up from the ground and slipped it into his bag.

All in all, the encounter hadn't been as bad as he'd expected. He had learned more than he had hoped to, and had gained a way back to Ohtori. He wondered how long the rose would last. He still had another few days before his package came in, and he'd need the second statue in order to successfully fight back.

With a gentle smile on his lips, he left the empty terminal and set foot on Japan for the first time in years.

OoOoOoO

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **Before anyone get's confused with all of these scenes, I'd like to explain that Wakaba, Juri and Nanami's gate scene is happening at the same time as Anthy's duel. Touga's experience happens later that day.**

 **Easter egg: The duelist's names are the names of the voice actors for the characters in the show.**


	5. Chapter 5

Saionji hadn't planned to go back to Ohtori. He could remember it all now, and it wasn't something he wanted to relive. The intoxication of the duels left him remembering Her, over and over again. Those nights in his room, when there was no one but him, and Anthy and the moon. Those times when she had told him that she loved him, and he had believed. He had believed. Now Saionji wasn't sure what he felt for Anthy. Love, lust, possession? Any of them could apply. She had brought out the worst in him, something that no one had managed to do, besides Touga. He chuckled, and the couple in the next booth looked over at him in surprise. Touga was special, he'd always thought. Always was in first place, always the best and always the most desired. Of course no one could deny that he was special either. He'd just never been as special, and that was what made Anthy so important to him. She made him feel like he was the protagonist in the story, not just a lowly sidekick, meant to be killed off for emotional impact by season three.

There was no doubt that he'd meet her there; Anthy and Utena had been close during the duels and there was no doubt that she was there if Utena was really in Akio's hold. Therein lied the problem. To go was to find himself under her spell again. To stay was to remain the normal man that he had become after he left Ohtori and the duels.

He picked up the envelope again. A semicircle of dampness marked where his glass of Sake had rested. He pulled the note out and smoothed it. The same five words stared back at him: Will you duel for her? The words seemed to waver under his gaze, becoming more and more real the more he stared. He looked away, back to his cup of Sake, the third cup this sitting.

He had received news of Touga's arrival in Ohtori in the same fashion that he received his own invitation: by wind. Or rather, by magic. It was a simple sticky note this time, a caricature of Touga captioned 'Back in Japan, heading home to Ohtori.' Saionji had placed it with the other note and tried to forget. However, magic did not like to be forgotten and the note pestered his memory all throughout the day. It was the catalyst that had led him to this bar, the very bar where he had found the first note, and led him to buy a very strong drink.

He emptied another glass, slamming it back on the table with enough force to elicit the bartender's stern gaze. He was going to Ohtori. He had known all along that he would. It called to him with Anthy's memory and Touga's taunts. He wanted what it could provide, what they would give if he played this game again.

The next morning, he left his apartment with nothing but his kendo sword and a single suitcase. He boarded the train and fell asleep before the third stop. When he woke up, the train was empty. It came to a stop by a deserted platform. He picked up his bag and as he stepped out of the doors, he found himself in the Rose garden of Ohtori.

It must've been during classes, as it was empty now except for a gardener. "I'm in Ohtori, correct?" He questioned, his voice harsher than he gardener in question looked up, a curl of purple escaping from beneath her hat. Her hand still grasped a spade, dirt clinging to it.

"Yes. You'll need to go to the office to receive a key to your living quarters and your occupation." She replied before turning back to her work. She patted the dirt around the sprout and pulled another plant from the box beside her.

Saionji's head hurt like hell when he looked at her, but he didn't dare look away. There was something about her that was alluring and yet faintly disgusting at the same time. It was on the tip of his tongue, something that he should remember. A name perhaps?

The moment passed as soon as it came. He walked out of the garden without a second glance at the queer gardener or at the green rose petals that had seemed to trail behind him, as if pulled by an invisible breeze.

OoOoOoO

Utena walked back to Yusaki's dorm, a bouquet of flowers balancing gently on her books. They were bigger than she had expected them to be, the blooms nearly as large as a clenched fist. They had had bigger thorns too; they were sharp, and as big as her thumb. The gardener, Anthy had had to cut them off for her, as her gardening skills were still subpar. It was only as she reached the door that she realized how unnatural they were. Roses didn't come in greens, and blues and oranges, did they? Not in the real world. Only here, in Akio's domain were things such as that possible.

She placed the flowers on the ground, and pulled the key from under the mat. While she could have easily opened it without it, she prefered to not use magic for mundane purposes; it felt strange to her, to have that much power, and yet be unable to direct against those she wanted to most. The door clicked open. Utena turned and picked up her load once more. It was only then that she noticed that someone had followed her. The setting sun made it hard to see their facial features, but a name came to her easily as her gaze drifted to the figure's head. _Touga._

A harsh wind blew and she closed the door, thankful to not have to wait outside long. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her. The front room was empty of people, as it always was, even though the dorm was a shared one, unlike the one that Utena and Anthy had shared. She walked past the unused furniture, and up the stairway to Yusaki's room. Utena opened the door and found Touga stood inside, leaning against the bed, as if it were perfectly normal to be standing in a girl's dorm. His hair was still long, redder than the roses in the garden. Redder than the blood that the swords of hatred had never spilled. His mouth was upturned, not exactly in a smile, but in an expression that could become one with a little persuasion.

He took the roses from her arms and placed them in the vase on the desk. He turned back to her, and Utena found her voice. "How did you get inside? You were down the road when I closed the door." He took a step towards her, and she took a step back. She had long ago stopped wondering if movements such as that which she had just taken was one of her own, or because of Akio's will. He took another step forward, and this time, she stayed still and let him come closer.

"A simple movement charm I found in India." Another step foward, and she took another step back. "I've been busy while you've been gone, Tenjou."

She took another step, and her back met with cold wood. Utena jolted in surprise. She hadn't closed the door, and she hadn't heard it close. Was Touga really so good at magic to have done that without her noticing?

He brushed a strand of hair away from her face, and as their eyes met, she was surprised to find so much emotion in his gaze. Pain, longing, fear, sadness, _relief_. She dropped her books. Something shifted between them, and she found herself moving towards him, until she was pressed against his chest. Her arms wrapped loosely around his waist. He didn't move. He sighed and wrapped his arms around her. For a moment, she could remember him, and all of the good things that he had done, and everything that he had made her feel.

"I'm glad that you're well, Utena. I'm so happy that I can still see you past him." Touga whispered into her hair.

Utena's throat tightened before she could reply. _I'm not well,_ she wanted to say. _I'm barely myself anymore._ Instead, she lifted her head from his chest, and looked into his eyes. Want, need, worry, want. Emotions rammed against her, bending her to their will until she gave in and pressed her lips to his. He was warm, and didn't pull away. She deepened the kiss, after he refused to, and opened her mouth slightly. She invited him to love her, to show her how he felt, how he had always felt and-

He pushed her away, and she hit her head on the door knob as she fell. The vase of roses fell as he backed away. She could have caught herself, but would that have made Touga look at her like he was now? His almost smile had disappeared, and instead of the devotion, the love, that she had tried to get, she only felt pity.

"You're still not yourself, Utena. I'm sorry." He said, moving past her to the door.

She wanted to get up, to follow him, but she didn't. Utena stayed on the floor where she fell as he walked down the stairs and out the front door. Every step he took away from her cleared her head, and brought to her shame and confusion. He loved her? He _still_ loved her, years after she had been gone?

The front door opened again, and Yusaki came inside, bringing with her a bag full of homework. Utena smoothed out her skirt and stood up, and picked up the roses, each one still as perfect as when she had picked them.

OoOoOoO

Nanami pulled a bottle of nail polish from her back and stuck it between her thighs. The teacher droned on, not noticing the faint smell of acetone as she stroked the brush over each fingernail. The girl beside her, a brown-skinned girl called Yusagi or Usakey or something glared at her but said nothing. Her hand flew over the page, taking way too many notes for such a repetitive teacher.

Nanami had figured out which students were duelists as soon as she'd arrived. The uniforms were a dead giveaway, and since she remembered where the student council meetings took place, it was easy enough to find them. Tswabuki had grown up, and outgrew his childish innocence somewhere down the line. He hadn't recognised her as she walked by him, or else he had hidden it well. It had hurt a little to realise that he, who had obsessed over her, and stood by her during the duels, had forgotten her, and the times that they had spent together.

Even she could tell that she had treated him wrong. She had treated a lot of people wrong, but it was him who she wanted to apologieze to the most, as he had been there for her, while so many others weren't. She apparently wouldn't have that chance.

She sighed, forgetting that it was audible to the teacher. The teacher paused over her desk, hand extended for the bottle. Reculently, Nanami obliged and handed her the yellow bottle. As the teacher returned to the front of the class, she pulled a second bottle from her backpacka dn began to paint again.

Nanami would have to reinstate her power her, but she still didn't have a grip on who the queen was. Who had filled her role after she left? She painted another nail, and switched bottles for a top coat. The other girl beside her, a red-head named Kawakami pushed up her glasses with a smile. Without taking her eyes from her paper, she passed Nanami a small sheet of folded paper. Behind them, Nanami could hear students shifting, and felt their eyes on her. She allowed herself a small smile as she accepted the note. She'd found her, and it wasn't at all a surprise that she was a duelist too.

OoOoOoO

Juri found her job to be harder than she had at first expected. While she did occasionally still fence, she wasn't as in shape as she thought she was. Years of modeling had left her soft, and slow. It was surprising that she got back into the groove so quickly, she thought as she showed the students another example of footwork.

More than a few weren't paying attention to her movements, but to her body. It was a familiar feeling. "Koyasu, replace Mika and use the footwork I've just demonstrated." She ordered. The duelist, with his dark blue hair and mysterious eyes reminded her of Ruka, who had passed many years ago. It was partailly curiousity that caused her to call on him. She wanted to see his skill, to see how hard it would be to defeat him if need be, and partially because she wondered how alike he was to Ruka.

The young man was half a foot shorter than her, but as they began to fence, she found that hsi hieght did not affect his confidence. He fought effortlessly, and without faltering, attempted to push her into a corner. She struck him, and ended the fight quickly, but realised nonetheless that he would be a hard adversary, perhaps one like Saionji or Touga. He would not go down easy.

The next student stepped up to replace her, and fencing class continued.

OoOoOoO

Wakaba did not mind saying that she was jealous of Juri and Nanami. They had easy roles, or at least ones that were better than hers. She dunked the mop into the bucket again, and began to mop the cafeteria again. She still had four rooms to go before she could take a break, and it was already 12:30 pm. She sighed and swabbed some more.

It wasn't that she regretted coming back. It was more like, she was upset that she didn't have a bigger role. All she did was mop and sweep and shine and dust. Not a very important role or a useful one on the scheme of things. Nanami and Juri could look out and get to knwo the new duelists, but all she could do was watch.

A pink haired girl walked through the courtyard downstairs, and Wakaba almost dropped her mop. Was that Utena? If she was, Wakaba would be the first of them to have seen her. She dropped the mop and ran over to the doorway. By the time she got there, the girl had disappeared into the greenhouse. She sighed and turned back to her mop. She had ran across them wet floors and would have to remop the area. As she picked up her mop, the chairman walked through.

"Hey!" She yelled. "These floors are wet!" As the words left her mouth, she regretted it. Bad idea to yell at the demonic Chairman.

Instead of magic-y things happening, he simply smiled at her. "I'm sorry, Ms. Shinohara. Let me fix that." He waved his hand, and his footsteps disappeared. He continued on his way, but left no footsteps behind.

Wakaba stared wide-eyed after him. She had understood that magic was real, and had even experienced it in a passive way, but his simple show of courtesy proved it to her beyond a doubt. Magic was real and the Chairman was dangerous.


End file.
